Vehicle running-gear



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

.B. 0. SHAW. VEHICLE RUNNING GEAR.

Patented Dec. 28, 1884..

LVVLWTOR fifiw wugamm (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 B. G. SHAW.

VEHICLE RUNNING GEAR.

Patented Dec. 23, 1884.

TATE

a'rnr tries.

BENJAMIN O. SHAXV, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

VEHICLE RUNNING GEAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 309,576, dated December 23, 1884.

Application filed July 30, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN C. Si-Liw, a

' lVagons, a description of which is set forth in the following specification, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in the several figures of which like letters indicate like parts.

My invention relates to the construction of wagon-gearings; and it consists, first, in an easily-adjusted portable tongue second, a single supporting center bar, upon which the rear end of the tongue rests in metal socketbands instead of between the jaws of hounds or futchells; third, in the adjustment of independent draw barsand rods equalizing the draft of the team to the unevenness of the road; fourth, double reaches solidly attached to the front bolster in the usual way, but to the hind bolster by means of eXtension-bars,readily adjusting the length of the coupling to the wants of the service; and these objects I accomplish by the mechanism herein described and illustrated.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a side view of awagon embodying my improvements, the hubs and spokes and spindles being removed to give a better view of the gearing. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of the gearing of a circle-tracking wagon embodying my improvements with the tongue removed, shown when turning a curve. Fig. 3 is a detail side view, on a larger scale, of the tongue and its supports, connecting rods, braces, and the connections with the front axle. Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the stop-lug S which holds the tongue in place. Fig. 5 is a side view of the drawbar Db, draw-bolt Dbt, and hammerstrap brace Heb. Fig. 6 is a top View of the draw-bar DZ), showing the slot in the rear end.

In detail, Pt represents the rear section of the loose portable tongue, held in place by the loop-band LI) and the stop-lug SZ underneath the socketband LI), the stop-lug rising up out of the support-bar Ob and fitting into a recess or cavity formed on the under side of the tongue Pt, which prevents the displacement of the latter while traveling on the'road. The socket-band Sb is provided with a rear verti cal stop-band with a lug projecting to the rear, and is bolted to the center bar, Cb. This forms a permanent stop or holdback, against which the rear end of the tongue rests. When the team is holding the wagon back with the breast yoke or chains, the front end of the tongue will be raised high enough in the loopband Lb to raise the recess on the under side above the stop-lug 81, but when the backward pressure ceases the tongue will resume its proper restingplace. ing higher than the tongue is deep, gives room to insert the latter through it into the socket-band Sb and over the stop-lug Si, and when the tongue islowered into place it is locked there. To remove it, seize the tongue in the middle and raise the front end until the stop-lug is disengaged, and the tongue may then be drawn out.

Ob represents a center bar or wooden-tonguesupport bar wider than the tongue, and it is gained into and across the front axle at right angles and flush with the top side of the stock. It is supported by the lateral brace-hounds Bh in front, as shown in Fig. 2, and rests on the swingbar S20?) between it and the loop L at the rear, and is connected with the pivot rod Per at the joint 3 when used in a circle tracking wagon. On the under side of this bar Ob are loop-staples Ls and Ls, through which passes the draw-bar Db, which is inserted from the front, closely fitting in Ls, but having considerable lateral room in Ls. This drawbar D1) is pivoted in the rear loop staple, Ls, and has a long slot in the rear end, as shown in Fig. 6. Its head is made with a solid drawbolt, Dbt, to which the double-trees are attached.

Dr represent double-forked draft-rods having rigid head and leader-hook Lh,with links Z on each end. The j unctiou or head at its front" center has a hole through which the draw -bolt passes. For light vehicles the leaderhook can be omitted. The hammer -strap brace Hsb is bolted at the rear to the drawbar Db, and being put on over the end of the draw-bolt Dbt, the nut of the latter is screwed on. The links Z are attached to the permanent hooks h on either side the front axle, and there make the attachment of the team, and the draft is applied direct to the shoulders of the front axle of the wagon. The result of this combined mechanism is the equalization of the draft of the team when hauling the wagon The loop-band Lb, be-

footing, and can render but little assistance,

and often the horse is balked at this unfortunate juncture. Now, if the near horse, who is probably on better ground, materially assists in extricating the wagon, he must be turned by the check-rein at a sharp angle from the direct line of travel, that he may, with the tongue and .yoke-chains, pull the tongue to the left, while with the traces he undertakes to pull the wagon out of the hole. But when my draft devices are used under similar circumstances, when the right wheel strikes the obstruction, the instant the lateral tendency of the pole commenced the whole force of the team, if necessary, would be 'ap-' plied directly to the shoulder of the axle whose wheel was unevenly obstructed, the left link would slack up, and the lateral tendency of the tongue from the direct line of travel would be arrested. In this manner the whole force of the team is applied direct to the resistance and the tongue will not'be swerved any great amount from the line'of travel and ceases to be a hounder of the legs of the horses On a circle or curved tracking wagon,when the right front wheel has passed the obstruction and the right hind wheel comes in contact with it, the tendency is to jerk the point of the tongue to the left; but with my equalizing devices the force .of the draft is instantly shifted from the right to the left draft-rod and slackens up on the right link, by which means resistance to lateral movement is made by the center bar holding the central pivot in line with the direction of travel, and the hind wheel is pulled forward through or over the obstruction, as the front one was, by the direct equal ization of the draft on the forward axles, and indirectly on the central pivot-bar, Ob, compelling the direct forward movement of the right hind wheel, and vice versa. Behind the rear axle and upon the pivot-rod Pvr is placed a band, Mb, with set-screw, for limiting the movement of the pivot-rod, serving as a stop for that purpose. This pivot-rod PM forward of the rear axle passes through the head of a pair of hounds, and is jointed at 3 to the center bar, as shown in Fig. 2, and is more fully shown and described in Letters Patent No. 216,354, issued to me onthe 17th day of June, 1879. In Fig. 2 these parts are marked 4, 5, and 6;

W are wearing-irons, which are bolted to the hounds and will be found to be an improved substitute for the common circle braceiron, as they steady the bolster and prevent it from rockingjoo much.

Swb is the sway-bar of the forward bracehounds.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is the following, viz:

1. The portable shifting-tongue Pt, having a recess on the under side to receive the stoplug Sl, the center bar, Ob, stop-lug Sl, loopband Lb, and socket-band Sb, all combined substantially as described.

2. The center bar, Ob, provided with loopband Lb, socket-band Sb, under-loop staples, Ls Ls, draw-bar Db, and draw-bolt Dbt, all combined substantially as described.

3. The leader hook Lh,- the rigid forked center draft-rods, Dr, attached to center bar, Ob, portable tongue Pt, and the front gearing of a wagon, all combined substantially asdescribed. V

4. The portable tongue Pt, center bar, Cb, draft-bar Db, draft-rods Dr, and eveners, in combination with links I and hooks h, substantially as described.

5. The pivot rod Per, center bar, Cb, the two connected by joint 3, the rear hounds, 4, 5, and 6, stop-band Mb, and set-screw, all combined substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereto set my hand this 19th day of July, A. D. 1883.

BENJAMIN C. SHAW.

WVitnesses: I

ROBT. S. BARNES, J. B. BALDY. 

